Interlocking compression support member

ABSTRACT

An interlocking compression support member having an elongated three sided body with integral fins or blades extending away from two sides and substantially parallel with the third side of the body. The support member may be used to secure a plurality of stacked modular units together, such as may be formed during construction of furniture, cabinets, display cases and the like.

United States Patent 1 1 Clark et al.

[ INTERLOCKING COMPRESSION SUPPORT MEMBER [75 Inventors: Harry L. Clark,Midland; Bertrand N. Trombley, Bloomfield Hills; Clara V. Eicholtz,Midland, all of Mich.

[73] Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company,

Midland, Mich.

221 Filed: Apr. 2, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 347,238

[52] US. Cl 312/111, 108/53, 108/91, 220/97 B, 312/140 [51] Int. Cl.Fl6b 12/00 [58] Field of Search 312/107, 111, 140, 198; 220/97 B;108/53, 91

{56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Dupuis 220/97 B X June 4,1974 Tisdall et al. 312/111 Ungard 312/111 Primary Examiner-James C.Mitchell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur J. Young 5 7 ABSTRACT Aninterlocking compression support member having an elongated three sidedbody with integral fins or blades extending away from two sides andsubstantially parallel with the third side of the body. The supportmember may be used to secure a plurality of stacked modular unitstogether, such as may be formed during construction of furniture,cabinets, display cases and the like.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures INTERIJOCKING COMPRESSION SUPPORT MEMBERBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates to interlocking'means used to construct various articles such asfurniture, cabinets, display cases and the like, with particularreference to an interlocking compression support member used to secure aplurality of stacked modular units together.

2. Description of the Prior Art Modular unit construction of a widevariety of articles has become increasingly popular in the past fewyears. For example, furniture such as chests, bookcases, hutches,cabinets, breakfronts and the like can be made from a plurality of basicmodules stacked one on another. Such modular unit construction isattractive since it provides increased design and arrangementflexibility, mass production potential previously unavailable, simplepackaging and shipping, and later date supplementation of additionalunits, all of which may result in lower cost to the consumer. This typeof fabrication has been made possible because of advances in engineeringand manufacturing, and new fabrication materials such as moldableplastics, compressed wood products and lightweight metal alloys.

In some combinations, the modules are merely stacked on one another withthe stability of the stack relied on to prevent the same from tumblingover. This is sometimes satisfactory where the area of intermodularcontact between upper and lower modules is relatively large. However,such an arrangement is not satisfactory where the area of contact isnecessarily small. In this instance, if means of locking the modulestogether is not provided, jostling or uneven loading could bring theupper modules tumbling down. For this reason, modular unit constructionin the past has included elaborate latching or locking means such aspegs or wedges positioned in slots or sockets and interlocking beads andgrooves. Examples of modular construction incorporating various lockingmeans are illustrated by US. Pat, Nos. 2,432,379; 3,606,506 and3,368,856 issued to Butler, Ungaro and Tisdall et al., respectively.

The disadvantage of using known locking means is that they can beunsightly, expensive to manufacture, unreliable and hard to put togetheror take apart, especially after several years of use or nonuse. Inaddition, a lateral force or impact may cause a breakout in thin outerwalls of modular units adjacent to and associated with the lockingmeans. In like manner, a lateral force or impact may cause deactivationof the locking means and tumbling over of the modules. Under severeoverloading conditions, compression stress may contribute to failureadjacent the locking means.

SUMMARY In general, the present invention provides an interlockingcompression support member having an elongated three sided bodyincluding a first blade or fin integral to and extending away from afirst side and a second blade or fin integral to and extending away froma second side. The first and second blades or fins are generallyparallel to the third side of the body. The support member may be formedof metals, plastics such as polystyrene or polyurethane, wood or othercommon fabricating materials. The support member'may be formed by anyknown means as, for example, where a moldable plastic resin is used toform the same. it can be extruded as a continuous strip or otherwisemolded to the desired length. The support member may also be made as astraight piece, a curve piece or with any other configuration needed toconform to the outer wall shape of the modular units it is used with.

In use, the support member is placed between the outer walls of stackedmodular units with the fins or blades thereof disposed in correspondingslots in the ends of the outer walls. The ends of outer walls haveslanted surfaces thereon which form a large contacting interface withcorresponding surfaces of the support member. This contacting interfaceis larger and more stable than can be achieved'with an interface whichis substantially perpendicular to the outer walls of a modular unit. I

The slanted interface, in conjunction with the fins or blades of asupport member, create a compression wedging effect wherein a largeportion of the outer wall of a module is disposed in compression stressbetween the slanted surfaces of the interface and the side of a fin orblade. This wedging effect helps prevent deactivation by a lateralimpact and outer wall breakout associated with uneven loading and/orlateral impact in modular units having thin or structurally weak outerwalls. Other beneficial advantages include such items as the supportmember being hidden inside the stacked modular u nits, a low cost tomake the support member and easy assembly of modular units with supportmembers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Yet additional objects and advantagesof the present invention are even more apparent when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like characters ofreference designate corresponding material and parts throughout theseveral views thereof, in which:

FIG. I is an isometric view of an interlocking compression supportmember constructed according to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of a modified support memberillustrating offset fins or blades;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of another modified support memberillustrating still another positioning of the fins or blades; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view in section illustrating the useof support members with stacked modular units of a chest.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following descriptionillustrates the manner in which the principles of the invention areapplied but are not to be construed as limiting the scope of theinvention.

More specifically referring to FIG. 1, an interlocking compressionsupport member 10 having an equilateral triangular body 12 and blades 14and 16 which are generally parallel to surface 18 is illustrated. Thesupport member 10 can be extruded as a continuous strip from anythermoplastic synthetic resinous material and then cut to the desiredlengths.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, modified support members 20 and 30 areillustrated. Support member 20 has an equilateral triangular body 22 andblades 24 and 26 which are generally parallel to Surface 28. Blades 24and 26 are offset so as to be defined by two different planes generallyparallel to surface 28. Support member 30 has an equilateral triangularbody 32 andblades 34 and 36 which are generally parallel to surface 38.Blades 34 and 36 are defined by a single plane generally parallel tosurface 38. Blades 34 and 36 are also disposed at the two adjacentintersecting ends of sides 37 and 39 which are furthest from side 38.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the use of support member to secure stackedmodular units of a chest is illustrated. Stacked modules having outerwalls 40, 42 and 44 are secured together by support members 10. Theouter walls 40 and 44 include drawer slides 48 which hold and guidedrawers 46. The support members 10 are essentially hidden on the insideof outer walls 40, 42 and 44 and provide a compression wedge fit for thesame as, for example, where a large part of outer wall 40 is wedgedbetween surface 13 and blade 14.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown forthe purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.For example, the support member can be made of an infinite variety ofmaterials and in any size or length depending on the outer wallthickness and whether it is desirable to support substantially'all or '4only part of the contacting interface between stacked modular unitsvWhat is claimed is:

1. An interlocking compression support member useful in securingtogether a plurality of stacked modular units comprising an elongatedthree sided body, a first blade integral to and extending away from afirst side of said body and a second blade integral to and extendingaway from a second side of said body, said first and second bladesgenerally parallel to the third side of said body.

2. The support member of claim 1 wherein said three sided body has anequilateral triangular shaped cross section.

3. The support member of claim 1 wherein said first and second bladesare defined by a single plane generally parallel with the third side ofsaid body.

4. The support member of claim 3 wherein said first and second bladesare located at the two adjacent intersecting ends of said first andsecond side of said body.

inous material.

1. An interlocking compression support member useful in securingtogether a plurality of stacked modular units comprising an elongatedthree sided body, a first blade integral to and extending away from afirst side of said body and a second blade integral to and extendingaway from a second side of said body, said first and second bladesgenerally parallel to the third side of said body.
 2. The support memberof claim 1 wherein said three sided body has an equilateral triangularshaped cross section.
 3. The support member of claim 1 wherein saidfirst and second blades are defined by a single plane generally parallelwith the third side of said body.
 4. The support member of claim 3wherein said first and second blades are located at the two adjacentintersecting ends of said first and second side of said body.
 5. Thesupport member of claim 1 wherein said first and second blades aredefined by two different planes generally parallel with the third sideof said body.
 6. The support member of claim 1 wherein said supportmember is formed of a thermoplastic synthetic resinous material.